So I met a Texan in London yesterday and oh my days...

[Soph0571]

One of the managers at work asked me to attend a local meeting with two of her team so they could watch me in full sales action, re the division I am Director of, to help develop them. Love me a bit of business development so I readily agreed and off I went. It was to talk to a local business about placing vulnerable young people with them for a period of work placement to help them gain the employability skills they need to sustain in employment. As an aside this is a passion of mine, better life chances and life choices through skills and experience for our most disadvantaged young people has been a life long endeavour.

Any whoo in this meeting - was having a really great conversation, about what good likes in social responsibility and how we can support that mission in their organisation - please bear in mind at this point that the two young chaps who are shadowing me are from Asian and West Indian descent - and this is one of the most diverse areas in London - this chap decides to tell us he is from Texas. Austin, Texas. Of course I then made some assumptions. Austin in London, that is not the bio of a Texan Texan, right? So I told a story about how being in NYC just after the 2016 election when I had a couple say sorry for Trump when they heard my accent, I thought he would nod in agreement. Whoops.

Everyone in America wishes Trump was President right now
They can send money to Ukraine but not build a border wall
Illegals
Rant, rant, rant, but in a very charming, having a normal discourse kind of way.

Oh my days. Chatting with a Texan White Supremacist in one of the most diverse communities in London. Never saw that one coming. I so wanted to tell him to do one, instead thanked for his time, left the meeting and assured the young men who accompanied me to the meeting that I would rather cut off my own head and eat it than do business there. I do have the email of his boss though... heh

[Liberal In Texas]

1. Not all Texans are idiots.

Just too many are.

[sakabatou]

2. "I do have the email of his boss though"

Oh, that's both wonderfully evil

[Soph0571]

4. Mailing them Monday

That's how evil I am. Don't be in my town with two young men who need their jobs and feel they have to smile politely when a fucking WS chats nasty. I could never be in partnership with this organisation while he is there. I will be making my feelings known.

[NotTodayPutin]

10. While I agree with your sentiment

Didn't you initially broach the political topics?
Couldn't that individual also send an email to your boss?

[Tommymac]

14. Really?

[NotTodayPutin]

15. So Soph didn't broach the political topic

Or is there something else?

Would the Texan made any of those comments about TFG etc, without the prompt from Soph?

[Scrivener7]

23. Yes. He would. And yes, I know: You're just asking questions. Any more?

[NotTodayPutin]

25. I have plenty of questions.

1st of which, what does your "yes" response answer?


Nevermind my stupidity.

You plainly answered that.

Sorry

[Scrivener7]

22. Lol.

[paleotn]

34. Well, I've broached the subject a few times....

Not as a matter or course, certainly, but only if other things show that their may be issues. Just a quick, little test of basic morality, intelligence and sanity of those I've work with and particularly those who've worked for me. Like Soph, a little harmless aside. That, plus other tells, lets me know who can be trusted (important in my work), who probably can't and who needs to be eventually moved on to someone else's pasture.

Didn't use to be that way. For ages, I've greatly respected the work, skills and intellect of a number of Reagan, Bush and W fans. Normal Republicans. I worked with them, for them and served with them in the Navy without incident. We agreed on many things, disagreed on many things, but I never had to question their sanity or basic morals. Trump, however, is a whole new ballgame. And a good, "unofficial" test of whether someone is a decent human or someone who needs to be watched closely. I simply don't trust those susceptible to fascist garbage as far as I can toss their asses. A pity it's come to this, but it is a short cut to separate wheat from chaff.

[NotTodayPutin]

35. Just with TFG types in perpetual victimhood

Mode...

You gotta watch out. Lest they try and turn the tables.

[paleotn]

38. They usually hang themselves.

Current politics simply lets you know beforehand.

[NotTodayPutin]

40. I'm really referring

To this specific situation. Since Soph brought up politics first... if she emails Texan's boss, Texan may well say Soph brought up politics trying to blame her.

[Soph0571]

54. My boss would say good on you

And cut this chaps business out

[NotTodayPutin]

56. It's good to have a supportive boss.

One that encourages you to express your political views.

[NotTodayPutin]

59. Did you email his boss?

If so, what was the response?

[HAB911]

20. Kick Ass!

[Diamond_Dog]

3. Everyone in America wishes Trump was president right now??

I hope he doesn’t go around saying that to too many people! They may wrap him up in a straight jacket!

[NotTodayPutin]

11. Funny how 30% (if that) becomes "everyone"

Delusions of even Adequacy....

Let alone grandeur.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. Wow, my dear Soph, you really handled that superbly!

Omigod. I would have made a complete mess of it.

Thank goodness it was you handling it so well!

[tanyev]

6. Yep, you can't judge a jerk by their surroundings.

I’ve made that mistake about Austin, too. I expect most people I meet here in the Dallas area to be right wingers, but surely someone living in the glorious city of my college days is a kindred spirit! Nope, not always.

[efhmc]

26. Do not make that assumption about the Dallas area either. Things have changed there.

[tanyev]

28. Oh, I know. That's what I generally expect, but am happy to be proven wrong.

And FWIW, I said Dallas area but am mostly farther north, in Collin County. Even so, the precinct I live in has gone blue the last couple of elections.

[lunatica]

47. Their beliefs are an entitlement to them

And they’ve been given permission to do their best to jam those beliefs down our throats. Freedoms and all that stuff ya know.

[anarch]

7. as a sort-of Austinite, I can assure you that man does not accurately represent the majority here

now a bunch of places really close to here on the other hand....

[DanieRains]

8. My Response Would Be

Yessiree pardner. All them klansmen definitely wish grand wizard TFG was still inciting violence, and gassing BLM protesters, since he just couldn't find anyone to shoot them.

[IA8IT]

9. Would love to mock TX but I live in Iowa and up to my chin in Repubican BS here. VOTE BLUE

Governor wants her very own personal state attorney general to do her bidding. No questions asked. House and Senate all under repubican control. Covid? What covid? We don't talk about that here. Thank You Very Much.

[walkingman]

12. I live in the Hill Country very close to Austin and I have to tell you of my experience..

I'm retired but when I worked I was a regional manager for a tech company. We had a couple of full-time employees that were on a yearly contract at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (near SF). I traveled there to meet with the contract mgr to renew the two employees contracts. These positions required a "Q" clearance so they were pretty secure in their positions but I took 3 of the mgrs to lunch to discuss. This was in 2000 when George "W" Bush was running for POTUS (he was then Gov. of Texas).

As we sat down to eat the lead mgr at LLNL looked over at me and said,"I just want you to know we do not like George Bush here...." It shocked me for a minute and I replied "Dude, I can't stand him". He laughed and said good I figured since you were from Texas you would support him.

So just an FYI - there are a lot of Texans that do not agree with the morons that run our State. On a positive note....everyone I have ever met while traveling always bring up "Austin City Limits" which has represented Austin very well since 1976!!

[paleotn]

37. Funny thing is....

I spent 4 years recently thinking how W wasn't nearly as bad as Trump. For one thing, every morning when I got up, I didn't have to quickly check to make sure the orange maniac hadn't started WWIII. A matter of degrees I guess. Don't get me wrong, W had serious issues, but holy Toledo!

[walkingman]

41. I've had the same thought comparison myself. I think Trump was more disruptive to our

Democracy and that in the long run could even prove fatal. "W" is responsible for killing hundreds of thousands of Iraqis for absolutely no reason. He and his constituents are evil. He destabilized the entire Middle East and in my opinion should be and is considered a war criminal. I always think of Cindy Sheehan who protested at Bush's ranch near Crawford, Tx. In hindsight she was a hero. Like during the Vietnam War given time the truth usually emerges but it is too late for the victims of our imperialism.

[Ishoutandscream2]

13. Wow, no kidding! A TEXAN IN LONDON??

OMG! First, I’m surprised a Texan could even find London! And second, he supports Trump? Well, no surprise, am I right?

Does he own oil wells? Have a big ranch? Rides a horse to work?

Jesus H Christ…

[KY_EnviroGuy]

16. An old wise man said "gentlemen never discuss sex, politics or religion".

Especially nowadays, doing so will cost you friends, family, neighbors and business deals.

Your Texas associate was not very wise. Those statements will not be forgotten and will color people's attitudes for the duration of his employment.

KY

[Warpy]

36. Emily Post made politics and religion taboo subjects in polite conversation.

The Navy in WWII piced it up and added "sex" to the list.

Just thought you'd like to know.

Besides, it was an anecdote of a visit to NY. Mr. Texan had no way of knowying the OP's opinion on politics of any type.

[Wednesdays]

50. ...

[Lonestarblue]

17. I live in Austin and most assuredly would reject this man's claims and attitude.

The city of Austin is definitely Democratic, but some of the suburbs and surrounding areas are decidedly red. They are the ones who join with the rural areas to keep Republicans in power in this state. I thought we had a chance of tipping blue before the 2020 election, but now with all the voter suppression and outright voter nullification laws, the state has a snowball’s chance in hell of turning blue in the next decade. Plus, if the Texas Taliban keeps up its attacks on women and LGBTQ, progressive families and their Democratic votes will leave.

[SergeStorms]

18. And Austin is the liberal part of Texas.

It's good you didn't run into a Texan who was a real redneck.

[Hangingon]

19. I am a Texas expat, a former Austin resident

You heard he was from Texas and made some assumptions. Then you broached the subject and enjoyed seeing how uncivilized he was. Now you want to write his boss and do him harm. Now you will not do business with him.

You set this situation in play. You are the one to blame.

[Soph0571]

57. What complete and utter bollocks n/t

[Hangingon]

58. Just after George Bush was elected, my wife and I went to England

It was terrific and people were great. Then we spent the night in a country side B&B. When we signed in the owner started in on Bush. He never asked if I voted or him, he just assumed. It was the first time this Irish Texan heard bull….in an English accent.

[pecosbob]

21. Austin is the frontline of the culture war in Texas...a small isle of enlightenment in a sea of red

I am a Tejano expat

Oh, and I just had to throw in this link since no one else had...

[Paladin]

51. Yeah, your expat status is clearly showing.

And name-dropping Jerry Jeff doesn't help matters.

[FailureToCommunicate]

24. A Texan Trumper in London?!?

Why did that make me think of this gem...

[RainCaster]

31. I was thinking "Lawyers Guns & Money"

[FailureToCommunicate]

42. Yes! Of course!

[paleotn]

27. Sorry for sharing our human garbage with you.

[Sympthsical]

29. So you introduced politics into a professional setting

While role modeling for others how a job should be done no less. Then after realizing you weren't aligned, you idly think about mailing someone's boss.

I know where I am and all that.

But this isn't ok in a work environment, particularly one where others are being trained to be professional. Reverse political sides and I don't think there'd be as much backslapping.

This is some classic AITA Reddit material.

[Journeyman]

39. Definitely some classic AITA material . . .

especially as the narrator initiated the divisive exchange, all while posturing proper professional demeanor.

My hope is everyone in that situation comes away from it a little wiser, but I've some reservations over that happening for all involved.

[NotTodayPutin]

43. I mentioned that upthread

And was given sarcastic responses

[Journeyman]

46. I saw that and I'm sorry some felt such a need to attack you . . .

It seems some here get so caught up in the idea that disagreement must necessarily entail opposition that they seemingly cannot fathom how a difference of opinion could be constructive.

Plow through, NTP, you'll find there's plenty of value here, even if you must dig through the chaff. Glad to have you on the boards.

[NotTodayPutin]

48. Thanks!

I appreciate it!

[Sympthsical]

44. Thanks for making me feel not crazy

I think what pinged for me in all this was it was sales and training two other people in sales. Injecting partisan politics into the discussion with someone you don't know is like How Not To Do Sales 101. Then, after doing so, the idle fantasizing about punitive action. This is not great behavior.

I've had a lot of contractors in and out of the house in the past year. A lot. Solar installation, needed windows replaced, a bathroom redo, all the doors needed this whole thing because either an earthquake and/or house settling. During estimates, we'd chat with them quite a bit and only go with people we like and feel comfortable with.

These people were selling themselves to us. They wanted our money. Out of maybe 20(?) different contractors at the house, I have heard political opinions from them exactly zero times. Never came up.

Good sales people don't risk alienating customers, and once done, don't congratulate themselves for doing so. "I just lost the company money. High fives all around."

Makes for a nice social media story, I suppose.

[Journeyman]

45. Precisely . . .

I own a business in a field -- marketing and graphic design -- with an incredibly high turnover rate for clients. Everyone's always looking for "the avant garde," and what they may like today will not appeal to them tomorrow. It's always a hunt for something new, a different direction that will spur sales or inspire their team.

I've been fortunate. Most of my work has been in medical testing and instrumentation, the water industry, and waste management. Fields not so prone to seeking the newest shiny bauble. But even here, there's a volatility in suppliers and, if nothing else, a need at times for clients to cover their mistakes by blaming the consultant.

I never discuss politics. I never discuss a host of issues that invite passionate opinions. I save those for my personal life, where if there's agreement there's satisfaction, and when there's conflict I can choose whether to escalate it or not, based on who it may affect. But even when baited in a business setting, I lightly laugh and beg off, using as my foil the reality that I'm working and thus have no opinions outside the business at hand.

Most of my clients have been with me anywhere from 25 to 33 years. And no surprise, they like me, as I do them, even when I suspect we would not be sympatico over a beer.

[DFW]

30. I do the "oh, you're from Texas?" dance here all the time.

First of all, if they don’t know me, I will usually start the conversation in their language. They are usually surprised that I speak their language (I speak nine European languages), since Americans “usually can’t do that,” and then even more astounded to hear that I’m from Texas, and can’t stand Trump, Bush, or the Republican party. I have to remind them that over five million Texans voted for Joe Biden, and that if they are capable of learning English, I should be capable of learning their language.

[Paladin]

52. Thanks for the much-needed comments. (nt)

[DFW]

53. Usually, the Europeans appreciate it, but not always.

I was once at the duty-free shop at Schipol, Amsterdam’s airport. I greeted the cashier in Dutch, since I was, after all, in the Netherlands. Stupid me. The woman put on a nasty tone, like I was trying to scam her. She said, “you aren’t allowed to shop here!” I asked why not? She said Dutch citizens weren’t allowed to shop at Dutch duty-free shops. I said I wasn’t a Dutch citizen. She said, “well foreigners who live in Holland can’t shop here, either!” I said I wasn’t a resident of Holland, either. She then asked why I spoke Dutch? That did it for me. I asked if she spoke English. She said yes. I then asked her if she lived in Texas? She said no. So I asked her why she spoke English? She grumbled something and rang up my sale. This “all Americans are too stupid to learn other languages” routine gets old. Maybe most us have no use for other languages, or never need to learn them. But to automatically assume we are intellectually incapable, I find highly insulting.

[bronxiteforever]

32. Great post Soph! K & R

[Warpy]

33. Well, now you know. Avoid Texas on that US vacation

Oh, I know some fine lefties in Texas. Unfortunately, they're outnumbered.

I have no idea what's going on with Texans, and I'm next door in New Mexico. I just know that when I've driven back and forth across the country, I've driven on I-40 to avoid as much of Texas as possible. I did do some business there, a fajita joint outside Amarillo has the best, most garlicky chicken fajitas I've ever tasted. But that's all, I didn't even buy gasoline.

And no, the vast majority don't want TFG anywhere near our government, ever again, unless "near" includes a long stretch in a Federal prison. When you see those young men again, tell them that, too.

You followed the best policy: never argue with a crazy person.

[herding cats]

49. This has the potential to be one heck of a Reddit ATA post.

FWIW, I suspect you'd be declare to not be the AH by the majority. Texas is despised, and it's earned that reputation for our politicians and a majority of our population. However, that person is a minority in ATX. Yes, they're here, but it's diverse and we by and large aren't like that. If they'd have broached politics I'd be on board with burning them to the ground because that's a third rail in a professional setting. We don't talk about Bruno, or politics. Ever.

As an aside, I deal with a lot of awkward stereotyping when people from other countries learn where I'm from. It comes from both sides. Conservatives think I'm like them and liberals think I'm some form of sub par pariah. So, it's several layers of awkward. I'm here (Texas) because I'm not ready to relinquish the state to jerks like that without a fight just yet. Maybe someday, but that day isn't today. I envy people who live where they don't have to actively fight for their democracy on a daily basis. But, here in the US I guess thats none of us anymore. We're all in the same crappy boat I've been trying to capsize now for ages.

I'm not a AH and I'm from Texas. I bet you and I would enjoy each other if we ever met in person. I'm sorry you met a jerk from ATX. They don't represent us by majority.

Personally, when it comes to work, I've learned never to assume anyone from any liberal city isn't a RW AH. They can be just as easily as not. I've run up against that far too many times now to ever assume anymore.

[ananda]

55. You deserve a pity party.

I'm so sorry that happened.

I'm a Texan, and half my family are like that.

I have nothing to do with them.

So I feel your pain.